


Hat and Cane Routine

by inappropriatefangirlneeds



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Burlesque, Dancing, Self Confidence Issues, Walking Canes, imagine gone boom, includes an aesthetic thingie, what even am i doing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 20:38:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8071954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inappropriatefangirlneeds/pseuds/inappropriatefangirlneeds
Summary: “Or how Frederick Chilton accidentally discovered his love for Burlesque (maybe)”Getting stuck in the choreography part of youtube in the middle of the night, I accidentally gave myself a headcanon. It made me think about how, just maybe Frederick Chilton found himself in a similar situation after the unfortunate Abel Gideon incident. The web helps him to come to better terms with being bound to a walking cane.





	

[ ](http://inappropriatefangirlneeds.tumblr.com/post/150609358260/chilton-burlesque-aesthetic)

* * *

 " **Hat and Cane Routine"**

It has been weeks since Gideon had cut him open and robbed him of a few bits and pieces. Frederick´s body was healing but he was still dealing with various kinds of aftermath. He already was discharged from the hospital and had granted himself only one day at home for further recovery. Frederick was determined to reclaim his position in the BSHCI quickly. They needed him, well to be completely honest he feared he could not afford to allow the power vacuum staying too long, you never knew who was working to fill it. The first few days back in his work place had been a challenge. Frederick had tried to leave not the slightest doubt about him being back and being back in a way that did not differ from before. Albeit as a matter of fact there _were_ differences and Chilton had to deal with them. Having to carry the cane was still a rather new experience. He did not yet know how to best move with it. It was awkward and somehow constantly bothering him. As we all know sooner or later he fabulously figures out how to move with it and well, maybe he found himself some inspiration about how to do this in the depths of the web.  
  
Using the cane is still new and unfamiliar for Frederick but necessary in order to keep him from stumbling and making a fool of himself, yet it makes Frederick feel more uncertain rather than supported. It is of use, he would not bother one second with it if it were otherwise and, yes it does prevent some pain but ultimately it is a troublesome piece. After all walking canes are an aid old and feeble men use. Way too old men. He had done everything to choose a model that would not evoke associations with that stereotypical brown walking cane for the elderly with that unsightly curved handle but even with the exquisite material and fabrication which he had picked there just was no way around the truth. It was and always will be a walking cane and he certainly was too young for that nonsense. It was beyond untimely that he was bound to it. Frederick worries that people will take him less serious, even more so now and that it might have some other unwished effects. The fiasco with Gideon was already awful enough by itself and likewise was the fact that he had to use a walking cane, but since this obstacle didn't seem to be enough the piece just broad casted his failure; reminding him and others what he had gone through and why. The whole incident had doubtlessly changed him. Frederick was not quite sure how and how much but he surely did not intent to let anyone else know even as much as that it had. An accident, best the fault of someone else, that would have been something different. He could have complained, lamented about his state and how tedious it was to be bound to such a device. Compassion would have been appropriate and he might even have gotten some respect for how well he was dealing with his difficult situation but not so now. Gideon was a fiasco and it had vexed him more than he liked to admit that Abel, of all things, had to demonstrate that special skill set on him. Surgery. For all those more grave bits Chilton had to chew on, the displeasing meal had a silly seasoning on top. Chilton tries to push at least this voice of doubt away but it still concerns him, despite its more negligible nature.

One night this voice is especially loud and Frederick is restless. He can´t sleep, at all. The thread count of his bed sheets was meant to support a good night´s sleep but it had nothing on the dread his brain indulged in. Frederick´s mind is occupied with retirement homes, relentless ridicule and impertinent children stealing walking canes and running away laughing but there is also this other scenario, one of rejection, one that is more like something he had worried about in his youth. This was calling for drastic measures. His lips curl in contempt  when he reaches out for his cane. After a brief visit in his wine cellar Frederick flops back into his bed. He switches on his notebook and types “ _Can a walking cane be sexy_ ”.  
Before he pushes the enter key Frederick empties half his glass. One of the first headlines “Axl Rose Steps Out With A Sexy Walking Cane” gives him a spark of hope, but it´s not like he is a rock star. Everyone knows they can get away with quite a lot of things. Authors, not even the famous ones not so much. He scrolls a bit farther and sees that there seems to be at least some men of fiction that have not lost their appeal due to their cane. He reads words like fashionable and how there can be a certain flair of power to it. Can be, obviously not everyone seemed to share a favourable view of that accessory. He could not blame them, he would instantly get rid of the damn thing if he could himself. But reading about what some people wanted those men to do to them with their canes was certainly a start, not enough obviously but Frederick could see himself making peace with his situation in the foreseeable future. Maybe it was just his second glass speaking but he started to warm up to the idea that there could be benefits as well. Frederick scrolls back to the more favourable words, rereading them. Flair of power certainly had a nice ring to it.

The next step Frederick´s following journey through the web brings him to is the video part. First he lands results for more [popular music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CJNqBhiFao)

[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CJNqBhiFao)

and surely that was nice to watch but with those figures, what damage could a cane do, so not particularly useful for his case. It takes a bit to grow tired of the synchronized dancing but when he does Frederick gets on the right track by[ finding ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P_XiVP0lq0)[this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P_XiVP0lq0) in the related videos section.

[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P_XiVP0lq0%20)

Granted it was not specifically aimed to be sexy but there was an undebatable elegance and appeal to the performance. Frederick found it quite enjoyable to watch those skillful movements. The boy was pretty but not an unforgettable beauty, it was definitely how he carried himself with such ease which made it so appealing. Those little tricks he was showing off with his accessories were responsible for that peculiar charm. And of course, the elegant attire. Frederick could relate to that. Tailcoats where a remarkable piece of fashion history, elegant and representative through the decades, he would wear one if he could get away with. Maybe he should frequent more balls, he would even cut a better figure than the boy on his screen. His tailcoat was too big in the wrong places, the folds showing on the vest were unflattering, but this really was the only thing he had to complain about and all in all he could certainly overlook that, there were other things than folds he could pay attention to. I´m getting ahead of things now but just let me tell you that this video will also be responsible for some slight bruising in the future, because how hard can it be to make a stick spin or to catch it mid air? Turns out, without marvelous hand eye coordination very. Frederick´s respect just grows a bit with every little spot on his skin and every clacking sound when metal hits the floor. However, back to Chilton getting lost in the depths of the web; of course there is also[ Fred Astaire ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POfWbXStmro)and

[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POfWbXStmro)

Frederick is pleased seeing someone with such a prestigious name accessorizing a cane but if he is honest the performance in this video is a tad bit too silly for his taste, if you plant yourself on the floor you better make sure you do it with more grace and oh that ungainly mirror part. Far from flattering.  
Frederick does not get much sleep that night because he discovers that “Hat and Cane Routine” is definitely a thing and he still has some of the sexier parts to explore. Like [this one ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3L7euZGAeA)

[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3L7euZGAeA)

and wow, that dip to the floor is unarguably hot. There are a few other videos Frederick watches and enjoys more and more; and then there is [that one ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0GuZc0UqTM)where he proceeds to hit the repeat button several times

[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0GuZc0UqTM)

because this really looks doable. Now it certainly is the wine talking, you can clearly hear it´s influence but Frederick is convinced he could do this, the steps are not too complicated and far from acrobatic. And despite the perceived easiness the crowd was cheering. Of course Frederick could not do it right now, his scar still twinges when he moves too abruptly or too far in the wrong direction but in a few weeks maybe. He could indeed see himself doing that for a special person, after some practice of course. If he just had someone who would like to see it, but at least he can indulge in the imagination for now. Maybe he would never actually do it, not even if he had someone in his life. Who knew how they would react, it was quite risky to suggest something so unconventional but if, if it happened Frederick liked to imagine that his partner would be unable to avert their eyes from his mesmerizing movements. He was not sure whether he would insist on applause but a following gratefulness would certainly be appreciated, or a return of the favour.  
Chiltons´s hand moves to his cane, which is resting against the nightstand. He already does it with less disdain and uneasiness than before. Locking the round tip in the middle of his palm he stretches his arm to the beat of the music, then mimics the circular motion he sees on his screen. Frederick pays attention to how his own hand looks like when he wraps his fingers around the tip, how it looks like when he moves them up until only his fingertips touch the center from above. Private performances aside, he could work with this. There was more his cane could be than mere support. If he was bound to such an accessory he was going to make sure to make some use of it. He would not avoid an audience, even if it was one that would never cheer or applaud, he would not hide, he would strut his way through the hallways of the BSHCI, giving every single step an emphasis with a clack on the floor. He could use it to accentuate his words, to play with the attention of his interlocutor and he would point it in anyone’s face whenever he had just made a verbal point in their argument; okay maybe that would be a tad bit dramatic. Then again he was a bit dramatic, he could admit that.  
  
The next sips of wine aren´t taken to drown anything anymore. Frederick´s mood has lightened enough to make him enjoy the taste again. He is feeling more joyful than who knows when the last time was. While he just wanted to hide in deep slumber before, he now intends to savour this little moment a bit longer. A moment that could be a small turning point. Sleep is sacrificed to trying to find some more inspiration and some entertainment as well. No one said research could not be pleasant. Frederick gets completely lost on youtube. Eventually he discovers more and more burlesque dance routines, different ones too, with other costumes and accessories and he is really enjoying them. The feather fans, the bending over chairs, the glitter. Frederick likes the finesse, the classiness but also the daring part of it. It just has a nice touch of presumptuousness. A coquetry that is spellbinding. It even makes men and women look equally alluring. The thought and skill that went into all those costumes that seemingly just were there to get taken off was something he could respect and certainly liked to see. What captures his attention as well are the little stories that are told in most of the performances, there is so much creativity at display. All in all it is entertaining and interesting. Moreover it is more or less socially acceptable. Why had he never thought about this. Strip clubs had always been out of question. Frederick neither wanted to damage his reputation nor give a needy impression, but burlesque shows, that was something different. That was classy, stylish. It even had history. Frederick assumes that apart from a delectable evening it could add an interesting touch to his image. No matter what the wine said, other than the idea of him performing for someone, attending a show as part of the audience was much more feasible anyway. Before falling asleep Frederick makes a mental note to check for burlesque clubs in Baltimore. He had gone through a rough time, he certainly deserves it to treat himself and if this treat came with feathers and sequins, why not.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think!


End file.
